Building construction



Dec. 30, 1930. 'r. ROWAN BUILDING CONSTRUCTION Original Filed April 5, 1925 1:1 4. V @bao INYENTOR Thomas Rowan- ATTORNEY Reiuued Dec. 30, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT- OFFICE THOMAS ROWAN, or BROQKL'YN, NEW YORK, AssIeNon To srn'uc'runar. GYPSUM con- A conrona'rron on DELAWARE PORA'I'ION, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

BUILDING CONSTRUCTION Original No. 1,632,453, dated June 14, 1927,'Seria1 No. 20,565, filed April 3, 1925. Application for reissue filed June 3, 1929.

This invention relates to a building construction and more particularly to a ceiling construction composed of pre-cast slabs of gypsum or like plastic material.

The invention has for an object to provide a novel and improved ceiling construction which is adapted to afford the floor frame superior protection from fire, which. com.-

prises a plurality of pre-cast slabs of plastic material suspended from the members of the floor frame in a novel manner to provide a substantially continuous body of the plastic material beneath the-floor beams and at the same time to enable the slabs to be erected in a simple, economical and highly convenient manner, without requiring the use of scaffolding to form a substantially flat ceiling below the floor beams,

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved ceiling construction comprising pre-cast slabs of plastic-material, in which the individual slabs are suspended from and below the floor member in a novel and improved manner adapted to enable the slabs to be conveniently suspended at any desired distance and at a uniform distance below the floor beams, and at the same time to insure the production of a substantially flat ceiling.

To these ends the ceiling comprises a plurality of pre-cast slabs of plastic 'material which are in accordance with the present invention suspended from and below the floor beams by suspension members attached to the floor beam and which are arranged to cooperate with devices embedded in the slab and which project from the ends thereof. In the 7 preferred form of the invention, longitudinal reinforcing members are embedded in the slabs and the ends of such members are preferably arranged to project through slots or recesses'in the ends of'the slabs and beyond the ends of the slabs, so that when the slabs are erected and in abutting relation to one another, the ends of the reinforcing members of one slab extend into the recesses in the end of the adjacent slab, and both slabs are preferably suspended from the floor beam by a ,sus ension member attached to the floor beam an cooperating with the projecting ends of Serial No. 868,129. g

said reinforcing members between adjacent slabs.

These and other features of the invention form of the invention, Figure 1 is a sectional View illustrating one of the 'floor beams or members :nd the manner of suspension of abutting ceiling slabs from the floor beam;

Fig. 2 is asectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1 Fig. 3 is a sectional view illustrating an'alternate construction or method of suspension of the ceiling slabs; Fig. 4 is a sectional view illustrating the manner in which the ceiling slabs may be suspended at a distance below the floor beam; Fig. 5 is a sectional view on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawin'g, 10' represents one of the floor beams of a fioor frame which is herein shown ascomprising a channel bar but which may comprise any of the usual forms of floor members or beams employed in 'buildin construction; 12, 13 represent portions of pre-cast ceiling slabs of gypsum or other plastic material which are preferably reinforced to v impart additional strength thereto. As herein shown, the ceiling slabs 12, 13 are provided with longitudinal reinforcing members, one of which ject beyond the ends of the slab, and a suspension member 22, hereinshown as a hanger, is attached to the floor beam 10 and arranged to engage and cooperate with the projecting end portions of the reinforcing members. The suspension member or hanger 22 preferably comprises a flatste'el bar, the upper end of which is bent around the top flange 23 of the channel floor beam 10 to secure the hanger thereon. The hanger is arranged to extend directly down along the rear surface of the web of the channel and to project slightly below the lower flange 24 of the channel. ,The lower end portion of the hanger 22 terminates between the slabs and is, provided with an opening-26 of a size sulficient to permit the passage therethrough of extend through the projecting ends of the reinforcing members 15, 16, which project-from the ends of 1 adjacent slabs. In order to accommodate these pro'ecting end portions of thereinforcing mem ers 15, 16 to permit the adjacent slabs toassume an abutting relation, the ends of the slabs 12, 13 are provided with notched out portions or open slots 20 therein. The slots 20 are preferably arranged with respect to the reinforcing members 15, 16, so that the projecting ends of'the reinforcing members the slots 20' to beyond the ends of the'slabs, and the-slots 20 are of. such a width as to enable the projecting ends of the reinforcing members of on'e slab to extend into the corresponding slot in 'theend of the adjacent slab. Y 1

In practice, the slabs 12, 13 may be erected" with the lower end of the'hanger 22extended downwardly into the spacefbetween the ends ofithe abutting slabsin the manner illustrated in Fig. 3, but it is preferred to form the openings or slots 20 "sufficiently deep to accommodate the end of the hanger. In Fig. 1 I haveillustr'ated theslot20 as comprising an'initial portion 27 "of greater depth than the main body of the slot 20 andformingtherewith a shoulder 28 against'which the end of the hanger 22 may rest. With this construction, it will be observedthat the low-' 7 er-end of the hanger 22 is protected; against fire by a substantial body of the plasticmaterial comprising the lower portion of the slab itself. It is alsopreferred to provide the ends of the slabs with, a rabbet 32 which adapted to permit grout or other plastic ma,- terialto be pouredunder the lower flan e 24 of the floorbeam 10 after the slabs have een erected. n j

The suspension members or hangers 22. preferably comprise .as above stated, flat steel ars, and in practice the hangers 22 maybe formed with an initialright-angle'd bend at the corner 30 and shipped to the job in this form. The erector then applies thehanger.

" to the floor beam 10,'bending the upper end tion of hanger thereof around the 'top' flange 23 jofthe floor beam. This-may be readily and convenient-.- ly done'by a hammer. With this, construe; it is possible to obtain auni form spacing of the slabs 12,-"13 bel'owthe floorbeam inasmuch as the bend 30 maybe of a definite distance from the lowerend of the hanger, and the. erector by placing. the hangers over the top flange "of the floor beam causes the slots 26 150 assume a definite posi;

tion with relation to the bottom of the'floor beam, sothat as the slabsare erected with the 22' may be made of a greater "'struction.

rojecting ends of the reinfdrcing members inserted through the slots 26 in the hanger, the slabs are caused to be positioned at a uniform level and a flat ceiling at a substantially uniform level is insured. In practiceit is sometimes desirable that the ceiling. slabs 12, 13 be spaced some distance below the floor beams in order to permit the passage of conduits and wires between the. ceiling and the floor beam, and for this purpose the hangers length than the hangers ordinarily employed and the ceiling slabssuspended in the manner described in connection with the construction illustrated inFigs. 1 and 3, using' the elongated hanger. It is preferred to provide an additional strap 35 riveted or otherwise securedto the hanger which may be conveniently bent'around the lower flange 24 of the floor beam in orderto impart additional-rigidity to the ceiling con- In order to erect the floor slabs it is neces sary for the erector merely to position the hangers 22 over one of the floor beams and insert the ends of the reinforcing members projecting from one end of the ceiling slab through the slots 26 in the hangers. The sec ond set of hangers are then slipped over the ends of the reinforcing members which proj set from the opposite end of'the slab, and are then positioned upon the next floor beam 'and' the upper end of the hanger hammered around the upper flange of the floor beam. In this manner the erector may erect the ceiling Without requiring scaffolding, as all of the work may be done by theerector standing uponthe top of the floor beams. After the slabs have been erected to form the ceiling,

grout or other plastic material may be poured into the slots 20 and the rabbet 32, and when set the grout serves "to anchor the hanger to the reinforcing members.

While the preferred embodimentof the invention has been illustrated and described,

it may be embodied in other forms within the scope of the following-claims.

Having thus described the invention, what isvclaimed is: 7

.1. The 'combination with a .fioor beam of two pre-cast ceiling slabs of plastic material located below said floor beam in substantially abutting relation, and means for suspending said slabs from thefioor beamcofnprising a'device attached to and depending from the floor beam, andmeans embedded in and projecting fromthe adjacent ends of each slab and engaging'said device.

y 2. The combination with afioor'beam, of a pro-cast ceiling slab of plastic material providedwith "a slot in the end thereof, "a device embedded in the slab and extendedinto said slot, and means attached to the floor beam and engaging said device within the slot'. for'suspending the slab below'the 'fioor beam.

3. The'coinbination with-a floor beam of two pre-cast ceiling slabs of plastic material located belowsaid floor beam and in substantially abutting relation, provided with longitudinal reinforcing members embedded.

therein and proj ecting fromthe adjacent ends of said slabs, and a member attached to the floor beam and engaging the projecting portially abutting relation, and each provided with longitudinal reinforcing members em bedded therein and projecting from the adj acent ends thereof, openings in the ends of said ceiling slabs for receiving the projecting ends of the reinforcing members when the slabs are in abutting relation, and a member attached to the floor beam and cooperating with both reinforcing members for suspending the slabs from the floor beam.

5. The combinationwit-h a floor beam, of two pre-cast ceiling slabs of plastic material, provided at their adjacent ends with slots extending downward from the upper surface thereof and terminating above-the bottom of the slab to provide a substantial body of plastic material below the bottom of the slots, devices embedded in the slabs and extended into said slots, and a hanger attached to the floor beam projecting into said slot and cooperating with the devices in said slot.

6. The combination with a floor frame having members spaced apart, of a ceiling extended under said members to fireproof the same and composed of pre-cast slabs of lastic material having reinforcing mem ers, and hangers for said slabs engaged with said floor members and having their lower ends extended between adjacent slabs and engaged with the reinforcing members of both slabs below the upper surfaces of said slabs.

7. The combination with a floor frame having members spaced apart, of aceiling extended under said members to fireproof the same and composed of pre-cast slabs of plas-' tic material provided with longitudinal reinforcing members embedded therein and projecting from the ends thereof, and hangers on the floor members provided with 0 enings into which the ends'of the correspon ing reinforcing members of abutting slabs pro- 'ect to suspend the slabs from the'floor memers.

8. In av building construction, in combination a floor frame provided With a plurality of floor members spaced apart, and a continuous fiat ceiling located below and suspended from said floor members'and composed of a plurality of pre-cast slabs of plas-,

tic material of substantial thickness having reinforcing means embedded therein and arranged with each slab spanning the space between two of the floor members, and hanger members engaging the floor members and having their lower ends extended between abutting slabs and engaging the reinforce ment of both slabs.

' 9. The combination with a floor beam, of

two precast ceiling slabs of plastic material located below said floor beam in substantiall abutting relation, and means for suspen ing saidslabs from the floor beam passing over the top of, and depending from the floor beam, and a plurality of reinforcing means embedded in and projecting from each slab v and engaging said suspending means.

10. The combination with a floor beam of two pre-cast ceiling slabs of plastic material, and means for-suspending said slabs from the floor beam, passing over the top of and. depending from the floor beam, and a plurality of reinforcing means embedded in and projecting from each slab and engaging said suspending means. 1

11. The combination with a floor beam, of i a pre-cast-ceilinv plurality of reinforcing devices embedded in the slab and having unembedded portions, means passing over the top of the floor beam and engaging the unembedded portions of the devices for suspending the slabfrom the floor beam,

12. The combination with a floor beam, of a pre-cast ceiling slab of plastic material provided with a slot, a device embedded in the. slab and extendedinto said slot,'and means engaging, the floor beam and cooperatin with said device within the slot, for suspenfing the slab fromthe floor beam. v

' 13. The combination with a floor beam, of a pre-cast ceiling slab of plastic material provided with a slot at the end portion thereof, a device embedded in the slot extended into said slot, and means attached to the floor beam and engaging said device within the slot for suspending the slab below the floor beam.

- 14. The combination with a floor beam of a pre-cast ceiling slab of plastic material having spaced'apart metallic reinforcements embedded therein, a portion of each reinforcement being exposed, and means passing over the top of the beam and engaging the exposed portion of each reinforcement for suspending the slab from the beam.

15. The combination with a floor beam, of two pre-cast ceiling slabs of plastic material, each provided with a slot extending downward from the upper surface thereof and ten minating above the bottom of-the slab to provide a substantial body of plastic material below the bottom of the slab, each-slab'having a device embedded'therein and extended into its slot, and hanger means passing over.

slab of plastic material, a

the top of the floor beam and extending into a slot and cooperating with the device therein.

a pre-cast ceiling slab of lastic material, provided with a slot exten ing downward from the upper surface thereof and terminating above the bottom of the slab to provide a substantial body of plastic material below the bottom of the slot, a device embedded in the slab and extended into said slot, and hanger means passing over the top of the beam and cooperating with the device in said slot.

17. A precast slab' of lastic material hav-' ing a reinforcement em edded within a slot extending downwardly from the slab top therein, aportion of the reinforcement being exposed, and a substantial body of the plastic material of the slab located below the exposed portion.-

18. A precast slab of lastic material having a reinforcement em edded therein, said slab being provided with a slot in the end portion of the slab extending downwardly from the slab top and into which the reinforcement extends, the slot terminating short of the bottom of the slab.

' 19. A precast slab of plastic material hav ing means embedded therein for attachment to a hanger said slab being provided with a slot extending downwardly from the slab top, said means extending into a slot, the slot terminating short of the bottom of the slab.

20. A precast slab of plastic material hav- I ing means embedded therein for engagement with a hanger said slab being provided with a slot extending downwardly from the slab top, said means having a portion extending into said slot, the extended portion bein below the top of the slab and the bottom 0 the slot terminating short of the bottom of the slab so as to provide a substantial body of hardened plastic material below that portion of the embedded means to be engaged by the hanger.

21. A precast slab of hardened plastic material having a hangercngaging means em bedded therein said slab being provided with a slot extending downwardly from the slab top, a portion of the hanger engaging means being exposed within said slot, and a substantial body of the hardened material of the slab extending beneath the exposed portion of the hanger engaging means.

22. A building construction comprising a beam, a precast slab having a reinforcement embedded therein, a portion of which is exposed, and a hanger engaging the exposed portion of the reinforcement and the beam for suspending the slab from the beam a portion of said slab extending beneath said beam.

' 23. -A building construction including a channel element, a precast slab having a reinforcement embedded therein, a portion of which is exposed, and a hanger engaging the exposed portionof the reinforcement and the channel element for suspending the slab from the channelelement, a'portion of said slab extending beneath said channel element.

24. A building construction including a ceiling supporting means, a precast slab hav- 7 ing a reinforcement embedded therein, a portion of which is exposed and a hanger engaging the exposed portion of the reinforcement and the ceiling supporting means for sus-w pending the slab from the ceiling supporting means, a portion of said slab extendingbeneath said ceiling supporting means.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 28th day of May, 1929.

THOMAS ROWAN 

